| Note: The Visually Disabled here refers to people with | | | | XHTML lends the website a perfect visual look. It |
| weak eyesight, or any kind of visual ailment. | | | | separates the design from content and brings |
| One might usually ask, "Why XHTML?" "Is it really | | | | uniformity to the document structure. The use of |
| necessary?", and we can list various reasons of its | | | | Cascading Style Sheets helps the developer to make |
| prominent standing in the web designing world. Few | | | | a page look equally well in all web browsers. |
| of them are search engine friendliness, speed | | | | This rule becomes conspicuous for all service |
| optimization, coding standards and better visibility. So | | | | providers. For example, if you have a travel website |
| it becomes a practice that cannot be ignored in | | | | and are listing air tickets/reservation details on your |
| today's pixel-perfect web designing world. But, | | | | website, you must have a visually strong website |
| seldom do we consider it "a rule". | | | | (with proper XHTML and CSS it is achievable) so that |
| When we are applying proper XHTML to our designs, | | | | it is easily perceived by visually challenged people. |
| we are, knowingly or unknowingly, fulfilling a citizen's | | | | So how can you comply with the act? It is easy and |
| duty to help the visually disabled. This adds to one | | | | simple. You have to comply with the W3C guidelines. |
| more reason of doing PSD to XHTML conversion. | | | | The W3C guidelines state that a website should be |
| According to the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, it | | | | visually clear in all browsers, whether it is a personal |
| is "unlawful to discriminate with people who are | | | | computer, desktop browser, voice browser, etc. |
| physically disabled". Though it is not a movement | | | | XHTML compliance takes care that the web pages |
| specific for websites, but has websites on their | | | | are visually correct, and makes proper use of W3C |
| agenda too. This means, when a visually disabled | | | | standards. So in this context, XHTML is not only a |
| person is accessing your website, he/she should be | | | | fashion, or a necessity, but a rule and a humanitarian |
| able to view it perfectly. | | | | responsibility towards the disabled. |